The T&I Princess
by Smartasswolf23
Summary: The five times Ino hugged Ibiki and the one time he hugged her.


Author's Note: Don't own anything but the plot.

Story Summary: The five times Ino hugged Ibiki and the one time he hugged her.

* * *

Ino was four years old the first time she went into the T&I Department. Her father had gotten called in on an emergency, and couldn't find a babysitter for his little princess. So instead of being able to have fun with her father, the young blonde was stuck accompanying to his dull and boring workplace.

"Okay princess, stay here. I'll only be a few minutes." Inoichi told his young daughter and kissed her on the forehead before departing his office.

Ino sat down glumly in one of the chairs. She had wanted to go to the park to play with her friends. It wasn't fair! Eyes slid over the office, it was so gloomy in here, the young blonde decided. There weren't any flowers, or pictures, or color. It was all a dull gray.

After what seemed like an eternity to the young girl, which was really under a minute, she decided to go hide from her father. It would serve him right! After all, he did promise to take her to the park today. And he hadn't gone through with his promise. It'd serve him right for breaking it.

Walking out of the door, she turned to the right and began walking down the hallway. There were a few people buzzing about, but none were paying attention to the child that was walking by. They really should have.

The young girl made her way through various hallways and turns until she came upon a door that was cracked open. Slipping through the opening, she came into another office.

Looking around the room, it was sort of like her dad's office but with a few knickknacks on the desk. The desk was also larger than the one in her father's office. Deciding this was the perfect place to hide from her dad, she began looking around the room to find a perfect hiding spot.

Bingo!

She decided to hide underneath the big desk, her dad would never find her there! Moving the chair slightly back, the girl crawled into the open space and sank down against a corner. After a few minutes of hiding, the girl closed her eyes. She would only sleep for a few minutes, was what she told herself.

It was more than a few minutes.

Blearily Ino opened her eyes when she felt someone grab her arm and haul her out of her hiding spot. She unceremoniously landed in the lap of the person sitting at the desk.

Looking at him, she decided he looked sort of like bear. He was a gigantic man with three visible scars running across his face. He wore a bandana that covered up the entirety of his head.

"Little girl, how did you get in here?" The man asked gruffly, eyes narrowed slightly as he looked her over. He could see very clearly who she would be related too.

"The door was open," was her only reply as she titled her head to the side to study the man.

"Why are you in here? Shouldn't you be with your father?" He asked, idly wondering if she was judging the scars on his face or not.

"I'm hiding. My daddy was supposed to take me to the park. But he brought me here instead. So, I'm hiding from him. It will teach him a lesson." She answered, smiling at him.

Feeling his own lips tug upwards, he couldn't help but be slightly enthralled by the young girl. "Little one, this is not a place to be hiding in." He lightly scolded the child.

Deciding to ignore what he had just said, she thought it was best to introduce herself; "I'm Ino. What's your name?"

"Ibiki."

"Why do you wear a trench coat? It's not that cold."

"Because I want to."

"What about the bandana?"

"So, I don't scare the little girls like you."

Ino stood up and balanced herself on one of his thighs. Taking his face in her tiny hands, she told the man; "You're pretty no matter what."

Ibiki let out a cough to hide his laughter at the girl. "I am not pretty little one."

Nodding to herself, she decided to ignore the man again. Plopping back down on his lap, she asked; "Will you tell me a story?"

"I don't know any stories," he told the girl and he placed his left arm around her to keep her from falling off.

"You should know stories," she mumbled sleepily as she rested her head against his torso and fell asleep once more.

Shaking his head in amusement at the child, Ibiki decided not to move her as he went back to work. Inoichi would get her soon enough.

After half an hour, Ibiki had finished all the paperwork and still had the sleeping child in his lap. His eyes glanced to the door when he heard it open. Inoichi stood in the doorway looking relieved to see his daughter with him.

The Yamanaka approached the desk, and woke his daughter, "Ino, come on it's time to go home now."

The girl's eyes fluttered open and she turned her head to look at her dad. Scowling at the man, she told him matter-of-factly; "I'm mad. You were supposed to take me to the park today."

"I know, I'm sorry sweetie. Come on, how about we get some ice-cream on the way home?"

Nodding, the child agreed to the new stipulation. Ino moved so she was standing back up on Ibiki's thigh and wrapped her small arms around his neck. "Thank you. Have a good night Ibiki-san."

She hopped down from his lap and went over to her father. Inoichi covered her small hand with his large one, he nodded at Ibiki and then the father and daughter duo left the room.

* * *

The next time Ino saw Ibiki it was at her 5th birthday party. Her dad and his best friend thought it was best to have a joint birthday party for their kids since they had been born only a day apart.

Ino stomped over to the man in the trench coat with a deep frown. She crossed her arms over her chest and scowled as she looked over at some of the boys in attendance.

"Little one, what's wrong?" Ibiki asked the girl, curious as to what could have the child in a tiff like this.

"They won't let me play with them." She stated as she glared towards the boys who were running around in the yard.

"Why not?" His eyebrows furrowed slightly at this, curiosity showing .

"Because ninja isn't a girl's game. It's definitely not for girls in princess outfits." She mimicked the voice of the boy who had said these very words, huffing in annoyance. "Will you play with me?" She asked, turning her shining blue eyes up at the man.

"Alright little one. Just for a little bit." He answered her. It's not like he had it in him to tell her no at her birthday party.

"Yay! You can be it first!" The blonde cheered as she ran away towards the tree line in the back yard.

He waits an appropriate amount of time, before sauntering in the direction he knew she disappeared to. Ibiki finally reaches the tree line and finds her almost immediately. He could hear her breathing. Looking up at the girl, he told the girl; "I found you."

"No fair! How did you know I was here?" She demanded of him, because usually she was good at this game.

"I can hear your breathing, now drop down." He answered in a deadpan, leaving no room for an argument.

Ino dropped into his awaiting arms without any hesitation. Looking at him, she smiled brightly, happy that someone was finally playing with her.

"Go hide again, and this time even out your breathing and make it shallow. It will help hide you better." He offered as he placed her back down on the ground. He watched as she disappeared again into the trees.

Giving her a few minutes to get comfortable, the man followed off after the girl. Finding her after a few minutes, he told her; "You did better this time. I just heard your shoe scrape against the bark of the tree when you climbed it."

Grumbling to herself, the blonde vowed to do better next time. Once again, the girl dropped into the awaiting arms of the scarred man. A call from her father saying it was time to open presents, though, effectively ended their little game of ninja.

She wrapped her still small arms around his neck and whispered, "Thank you for playing with me." Giving him a kiss on the cheek, she hopped out of his arms, and pulled him behind her as she headed towards the table that was filled with presents.

* * *

She was seven and sitting on a swing outside of the school when he found her. "Little one your dad is worried about you." He told her as he approaches, not mentioning the fact he almost sent out the entire T&I Team to find her. It's easy for him to see she's been crying, and it probably had something to do with the ribbon she was clutching in her hand.

"She ended our friendship." Is all Ino says as fresh tears roll down her face. She still couldn't believe it. Sakura ended their friendship just like that. All because of a boy.

He decided it was best to just let the girl vent, because apparently, whatever happened affected her clearly.

"She ended it for a stupid boy! Just because we liked the same stupid boy! I wasn't gonna say anything or do anything! I was her friend first. I protected her from the bullies! And she ended our friendship!" She cried, wondering why her heart seemed to hurt so much.

"Little one, you are too young to be thinking about boys. First and foremost is your education and training. Friends are important in your life, yes, but what good is having a friend if you can't protect them? Make yourself stronger, become the kunoichi I know you can become. Begin to worry about petty squabbles after you're sure you can take of yourself and protect those that truly matter to you."

The young girl sniffled a few more times, before looking up at the man. "Okay Ibiki-san. I'll get stronger. Then I can show her that she shouldn't have ended our friendship!"

Ino jumped off the swing and threw her arms around the scarred man's neck. Ibiki wrapped his left arm around her and picked her up when he stood. "Let's get you home little one."

* * *

Ino was eleven when she found herself sorted onto a genin team that left a lot to be desired. Of course, they had to put her with the lazy-ass and the fat-ass. And of course, their sensei had to be a smoker!

The three genin were coughing due to the smoke clogging up the air in the classroom. Really who smoked in classroom? Ino could feel her throat getting scratchy and eyes watering, she wanted that stupid man to put out the cigarette.

"Sarutobi, put that damn cigarette out before I do it for you." Ibiki barked at the man as he strolled into the classroom. He wanted to see who would oversee training Ino for the next few years. Opening a window, the scarred man let the classroom start airing out. There was no way in hell that bearded man was going to smoke in an enclosed space with those kids around him.

Asuma quickly put out the cigarette and was baffled by the appearance of the head T&I Interrogator. He didn't think he had done anything wrong, certainly hadn't put the village in danger. So why was he here?

"Little one what did I tell you?" Ibiki asked, turning his attention to the lone female in the room.

"If the boys are being mean or stupid make sure to send their balls to their throats when I kick them." Ino answered lightly, amused when both Shikamaru and Chouji slid far away from her on the bench and looked ready to throw up.

"No, the other thing."

"When dismembering a person, it's best to start with the knuckles first. That way there isn't too much blood loss and the person doesn't go into shock."

That statement got Asuma wondering if he could just trade her for someone so not obviously crazy.

"Also, keep the fingers or toes on ice so that way you can re-attach it once the person starts cooperating."

"Not that one either."

"Oh, make sure to smile." She said as she smiled brightly at her new sensei. Asuma seriously wondered if he could just become a missing nin at this point.

"And remember the best threats are the ones left unsaid." Ibiki told the girl amused that she managed to elicit such reactions out of her new teammates. Locking his eyes on Asuma, he growled at the other man; "If anything happens to her, I'm coming for you."

Asuma wondered if he could get Kakashi to agree to a switch of the females. The pink haired girl seemed nice enough. Besides the masked man was former Anbu, he could handle the insane blonde and her devil bodyguard.

Ibiki swept out of the classroom with a flourish of his trench coat. The scarred man didn't bother with closing the door because he knew that Ino would be out of there in a few minutes.

Turning on his heel, he looked at the girl that had followed him out of the classroom. Raising an eyebrow, he prompted her into action.

She wrapped her arms around his torso and mumbled against his chest, "Thank you."

Letting him go, the girl went back into the classroom and shut the door behind her.

* * *

Ino was sixteen years old and on her first date when her dad walked into the T&I building grumbling. If he couldn't threaten her date, he could make damn sure to take it out on a prisoner that he'd been called in to deal with.

"What's wrong?" Ibiki asked the man, knowing there were only two people who could ever make the usually jovially man look like committing a mass homicide was a good idea.

"Ino's on her first date." Inoichi growled out, he wanted this interrogation done so he could find her. He still couldn't believe she said yes to that stupid senbon chewer.

Ibiki slowly nods his head and quietly slips out of the door. He'll let Inoichi deal with the prisoner, he had more pressing matters to attend to.

Finding her and her date didn't take much effort. 'At least he took her to one of the nicer restaurants.' Ibiki thought to himself, as he watched the date. So long as he didn't place his hand anywhere it shouldn't be, the senbon chewer wouldn't have to worry about getting an up-close and personal tour of the T&I building.

Genma could feel eyes on him, subtly glancing around, he realized that it was Ibiki watching them. Flicking his eyes back to her face, he realized she had said something while he had been busy trying to find the killer intent directed towards him.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" He asks politely, unsure if he should mention that a man in the trench coat across the street is glaring daggers at him.

"I asked what do you do?" She asked again, with an eyebrow raised. The blue-eyed girl was aware of mass of black standing across the street.

"Oh, I'm a bodyguard for the Hokage," He answered easily, realizing it was just better to follow her lead since he was out of his depth. He had never had the head Interrogator follow him around on a date before.

"So, what was it like working with Naruto's father?" She whispered conspiratorially with a soft smile gracing her lips.

His eyes widen a fraction, and he realizes that was his mistake. "You weren't supposed to know that." He tells her, impressed but semi-terrified all the same.

"It's not that hard to put two and two together. And it's not like it's really that big of secret anyway." Ino answered airily as she flipped her long blonde hair behind her.

Genma just laughed at her answer, because he realized that she did have a point. It wouldn't take a Nara to put it together.

"What about you? What do you do?" He asked the girl, curious about her, especially since it seems she has the angel of death following her.

"I work in my family's flower shop. One day I hope to get an internship with T&I though. That's where all of my family goes." She answered back.

And the conversation continued to flow from subject to subject, as easily as a river.

An hour later Genma found himself walking Ino back to her home. He had given the girl his coat and wrapped his arm around her shoulders as they walked side by side. Genma knew that they were still being followed by Ibiki. But it seemed like the man wasn't going to get involved.

Arriving at her front door, Genma placed a light kiss on her cheek and told her goodnight. "Call me when you don't have a shadow constantly watching you." He told the girl, though he doubted it would ever happen.

Ino slipped out of his jacket and handed it back to him. Smiling, she nodded at him as she opened her door. Once she was inside, Genma took off walking down the path, and he realized then the reason why she got nicknamed the T&I Princess.

Ibiki waited until Genma had disappeared completely before dropping down on her porch, raising his hand to knock, the door was thrown open by the blonde girl.

She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his midsection. A silent thank you for not getting involved in her date, even if he watched the entire time.

Letting go, she walked back into the house and bid the man good night as she shut the door.

Ibiki walked back into the T&I Building, and went down to the Interrogation rooms. He found Inoichi as the man was finishing up with the prisoner.

"The date is over, he didn't do anything inappropriate." He supplied, knowing fully well the other was still having thoughts about murdering the senbon enthusiast in his sleep.

"Thank you." Inoichi breathed out, grateful that his daughter had him as another protector. Shaking his hand, the Yamanaka head departed the T&I Department to go home and hopefully get some sleep.

* * *

She's nineteen and sitting in front of the hero stone when he finds her. The war was finally over and Konoha was rebuilding.

It seemed as if Ino wasn't even paying attention as her eyes kept reading the same name over and over, Yamanaka Inoichi.

Ibiki stood behind her for a few moments, saying his own private prayers to those that were lost in the senseless fighting and war that nearly decimated their world.

Squatting down behind her, he tapped her shoulder. Her blue eyes turned to him, and he hated that the light he used to see in them wasn't there anymore.

Wrapping his arms around her, he tells the girl; "Let it out." And she sobs into his chest, screaming how it wasn't fair. He holds her until her cries finally stop.

"I have a position open in T&I when you're ready." He informed, cursing the gods for hurting her this way.

She nodded her head, and took his hand when he offered to pull her onto her feet. Placing his hand on her head, it's the only way he can tell her that even though he can't protect her heart from the world, he will make damn sure someone pays for hurting her.

He left her standing there by the hero stone, he had work to do since the untimely demise of his colleague and respected friend.

It takes three weeks before Ino can work up the nerve to go to the place that her dad used to bring her, the T&I building. Standing in front of the building, clad in his uniform and customary trench coat is Ibiki; waiting for her.

"Welcome to T&I, Princess. Come on, we have work to do." He tells the girl as he leads her into the building.

Ino just smiles behind the man, feeling the hole in heart starting to mend a little. Maybe, she'll even give that senbon chewer a call like he asked all those years ago.


End file.
